What they like

Light deciduous woodland with open spots. Alder- and willow-floodplain, old orchards, park-like avenues. Peace and quiet. Tall poplars to sing in and build a nest in, and plenty of shrubs underneath. Do: let little corners go wild. Plant native trees and shrubs: willow, alder, pedunculate oak, rowan, blackthorn, hawthorn. Keep hedges wide, not tightly clipped. In the countryside: create or restore hedgerows and shelterbelts. Mow? Phased, never everything at once.

Ecological importance

An insect hunter with taste: caterpillars, beetles, flies. Also takes berries and cherries when possible. Fewer insects = fewer orioles. And yes: they themself is food for goshawk and sparrowhawk. That’s how the web should work.

When in the Netherlands

May through August, then off again to Africa. Last year’s youngsters sometimes help mum and dad with incubating and raising their younger brothers and sisters.

Status

Rare breeding bird. No longer a given everywhere, but still possible where the greenery can be old, varied and quiet.